Myst

"...Seven? That's what I wasted 72 hours of playing this game for? SEVEN??" -Me, upon finding the answer to the game.

Developer: Broderbund Publisher: Cyan Genre: Puzzle Players: 1 Memory Blocks: Computer Save-Game Type Discs: 1 Analog: No Dual Shock: No ESRB: Everyone Difficulty: Intermediate

'The best exploartion and problem-solving game of the year! Finally, a non-violent yet addictive game for our kids!' They said. That just goes to show you how needlessly hyped-up things can get.

Gameplay-- In Myst, you take the roll of a person. It doesn't say your name, or if you're a man or woman. You just ARE. You are somehow teleported to a mystic island when you touched a picture in a book. As you try to get home, you discover that something bad happened on that island- that some old guy got imprisoned in a book, kind of like you are. (Only the book you're in has a lot more legroom.) Basically, you go into other books, trying to free one of the two of the old guy's sons. Thier names are Sirrus and Achenar, and, unbeknownst to you, they're both the ones who imprissoned thier father and somehow managed to imprisson themselves at the same time! But there's something...different about this game and it's bad guys. There are only two baddies -the two sons- and they dont fight you. There is no fighting or violence whatsoever in this game. You cant even die. Nope, you loose by letting one of the sons loose -thereby imprissonoing themsleves in thier place- and they go off to destroy the other books. As it turns out, there is a secret room with the old man's book in it, and when you open it, he is freed, hence, you win. But to find this room, you must count the numbers of certain boxes on the first island. There are seven. Off course, (Daravoneese there,) you dont know this when you're playing the game. If you're like everyone else who played this, you follow the set storyline and will eventually loose.

Graphics-- Dont get me wrong, though, the game's graphics are outstanding, even by today's standards, are remember that Myst was published around 1995. You go to different areas by clicking a little mouse-hand-thing that moves you to different screens. So there's one good thing about the game.

Music-- No music, to my recolection, although you must have sound to play this game. Well...you dont HAVE to, but it saves you a good 17 extra hours of guess-and-testing for certain puzzels. And the Sound FX are clear as crystal.

Storyline-- I seem to have put this down in gameplay, so oops...

Control-- All you use is the keyboard, for the rare times you have to input numbers into something, and the mouse to click your way throught he book. Nothing more.

Fun Factor-- BOOORR-IIINNGGG! This game has the uncanny ability to put people to sleep if you're not careful. It's catchy in it's originality, but it doesn't really grab you.

Overall Satisfaction-- It was a good game...until you find the answer. That just makes you tear your hair out at the roots. DO NOT play this game unless you are unquenchably bored. Use only as directed. Talk to your doctor for more details.

Highs: Good graphics and sound FX
Lows: ARG! HORRIBLE ENDING! NO FIGHTING! You dont even know if you're male or female!
Score: 3